When colleague’s want me to observe their class for formative feedback, I always ask them to share two or three things they are working on in which feedback would be helpful. For example, working to involve more students, trying to summarize class in the last five minutes, organizing my board work, etc. This helps me to focus the observation and provide more useful feedback.
Teaching Tips
Articles and resources to empower your teaching experience.
Teaching – TILT Assignments to Support the Success of Students from Diverse Backgrounds
The Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework helps faculty redesign existing assignments and activities in a manner that makes the purpose and expectations clearer to students. These redesigned assignments have been demonstrated to increase academic confidence, sense of belonging, and metacognitive awareness for all students, with historically underserved students experiencing the greatest benefits.
Teaching – The Quick Tip: How to Make the Most of the Last 5 Minutes of Class
Denise Magner of the Chronicle reminds us to not waste those final minutes trying to cram in eight more points or call out as many reminders as possible. Here are two tips she gives, based on a piece by James Lang
- The minute paper. Wrap up the formal class period a few minutes early, and pose two questions to your students: (1) What was the most important thing you learned today?
Teaching – What You Know That Just Ain’t So
Which is the most important factor in successful learning:
- The intention and desire to learn
- Paying close attention to the material as you study
- Learning in a way that matches your own learning style
- The time you spend studying
- What you think about while studying
The answer, according to cognitive psychologist Stephen Chew, may surprise you. Lendol
Teaching – Midterm Course Adjustments
In this week’s deeper dive, Dr. May Mei, Mathematics, shares ideas from the two-page article Critical Learning Communities: Top Five Principles to Guide Your First Month by Kristen Luschen and Becky Wai-Ling Packard. May gives practical suggestions on how to make midterm course adjustments to ensure a smoother and more productive finish to our semester.
Teaching – What to do with Midterm Feedback
Last week, we shared several midterm course feedback forms. Now, what to do with all that feedback?
- Make a brief list of comments to respond to during the next class.
- Focus on major themes.
- Discuss things you are willing to adjust, but also explain why you will maintain certain practices. Your students value transparency.
Teaching – Midterm Course Feedback
Nearing the half-way point, time to get some feedback from students on how our classes are going. Here are three templates to consider (feel free to edit as your own):
- This form from Dr. Annabel Edwards, Chemistry, that we shared last year. Uses a number of Likert scales.
- A newer form from Annabel based on some suggestions for The Chronicle.
Faculty Development Resources
The Center for Learning and Teaching can provide resources and information to support faculty development programs and faculty, administrators, and governance groups that address learning and teaching.
Classroom Teaching Observation and Formative Evaluation of Teaching
Early Career Faculty Learning
This seminar is designed for all first-year or new faculty. The goals are to build community and engagement among new faculty, provide substantive discussions about processes of learning and teaching, and generate collaborative support regarding teaching practices that best suit each individual’s courses, discipline, and goals.
Teaching and Learning Resources
A renewed interest in research on learning and teaching has greatly expanded the range of scholarship and resources that are focused on the intersection of learning, teaching, and pedagogy in higher education. Resources for a variety of topics are linked below and in the navigation menu.
In addition, faculty as well as colleagues in other offices and programs can contact me for help in identifying specific resources and scholarship on learning and teaching for their use including, for example, issues that address faculty development, academic advising, teaching and course evaluations, curriculum assessment, and measures of student academic achievement.